Colby/Abby softball drops two
It was a tough week for the Colby/Abby softball team as they lost both games they played. The co-op’s defense struggled to put a stop to opposing offenses as they gave up a combined 23 runs over the two games.
The Colby/Abby softball team went on the road last Thursday, traveling to Marshfield to take on the Columbus Dons in a conference matchup. A big first inning would be too much to overcome for the co-op as they fell 13-5.
The co-op would find themselves down early as a seven-run first inning for the Dons would allow the home team to comfortably dictate momentum for the rest of the game. Columbus would start the bottom of the first with a bang, as leadoff hitter Cierra Dieringer launched a ball out to right-center for a ground rule double. A bunt single and a walk later and the home team had bases loaded.
Starting pitcher Tatum Bargender would induce a ground ball from the Columbus clean up hitter, but a slight collision between the baserunner and shortstop Alea Graff would allow the ball to sneak through to the outfield, bringing two Dons home on the play. This was merely a harbinger for things to come as the Dons proved to be tough outs on their first time through the order.
They’d continue to put pressure on the Colby/Abby defense by stealing bases, laying down bunts, and hitting ground balls that the co-op could not seem to convert into outs. By the time the first out was recorded, the home team had already scored five runs. That total would run up to seven by the inning’s end as the Dons played more small ball ahead of Dieringer’s second double of the inning.
Columbus would go on to score eleven unanswered runs, taking an 11-0 lead into the fifth inning. The co-op would finally get on the board on an RBI single up the right field line by junior Sierra Strassburger and they’d add another on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Halie Van-Luven. A well hit ball into the gap by sophomore Josie Higley would plate two more for Colby/Abby in the sixth inning, bringing the co-op closer with the score sitting at 11-4.
That would end up being all the closer they would get, as two runs for the Dons in the bottom of the sixth cut the co-op’s momentum and the game would end with a final score of 13-5.
Bargender would pitch the entire game for Colby/Abby, giving up thirteen runs on thirteen hits and four walks. She also struck out four.
Despite the lopsided final score, both teams hit evenly, with the co-op finishing the game with 12 hits compared to the Dons’ 13. Five Colby/Abby hitters recorded two hits, those being Graff, Bargender, Higley, sophomore Kylie Orth and freshman Neveah Treankler. The difference seemed to be walks and hitting with runners in scoring position. Columbus walked four times and left only three runners on base all game, compared to the co-op’s zero walks and six runners left stranded.
Auburndale, 10-1
The co-op took on the Auburndale Eagles on Monday in Colby. It was a tough game for the home team, which took the loss 10-1.
Errors and a stymied offense would be the story of the evening for the co-op. Over the course of the game, the Colby/ Abby defense would commit eight errors, leading to eight unearned runs.
Auburndale took advantage early, scoring four runs in the first inning and then adding a fifth in the second to put the coop in a 5-0 hole.
The co-op’s offense found a little footing in the bottom of the second, where Graff scored on the Eagles’ sole error. However, Auburndale pitcher Ashlyn Grimm and the Auburndale defense did not budge from that point forward. Grimm would hold the co-op’s lineup to just three hits over seven innings, striking out nine batters in the process. The unearned run in the second would be the only offense that Colby/Abby could muster.
Meanwhile, as the errors continued to pile up for the co-op, the Eagles would take advantage. Auburndale would extend its lead in the fourth inning by scoring an additional three runs. Two insurance runs in the sixth would bring the visitor’s lead to nine and a final of 10-1.
Bargender was on the mound for the co-op, pitching all seven innings for the home team. She gave up ten runs on twelve hits, though only two of the runs were earned. Graff, VanLuven and Treankler recorded the only hits for the coop.
T he softball team is back in action on Friday with a game at Owen-Withee. They will then take on Columbus at home on Saturday, as they host the Dons in their final regular season game.
